The tech industry has emerged from the shadow of the pandemic, but there is still a lot of work ahead. From adapting to new workplace norms to filling needed positions in a tight workers’ economy, tech leaders and their teams will be facing challenges as they move forward.

To cope with these challenges, companies and their tech teams need to be aware of what’s coming. Here are top five challenges that tech teams face and how they can be overcome.

1.Coordinating Agility and Productivity

There is nothing worse than being a part of a team that cannot come to a conclusion on important matters. With so many different opinions and dynamics, it seems like the team has been divided into tectonic plates of disruptive forces that are only moving in opposite directions.

Decentralized systems are a challenge . Every node, every process, and every app needs to be equipped with the exact same toolbox in order to function at peak efficiency. Otherwise, decision-making is slowed down. In order to have real autonomy between teams or even individuals within a team, we need to ensure that everyone under the decentralized system is using the same technology choices.

This can be achieved through blending clear data and tech stack governance principles with an organizational structure that has well-defined roles.

2. Collaborate Across Boundaries

The thing about transforming tech is that it's all-encompassing. You must leverage technical solutions to the greatest extent possible, but sometimes the best process isn't technical at all — it's a people process.

A digital transformation leader must understand the importance of collaboration among cross-functional departments. This is an essential foundation for the team's culture, which is often overlooked by our CEOs, who believe that their digital transformations will succeed by following projects led by disjointed functions.

CTOs and tech leaders must ensure that their teams collaborate effectively. Such collaboration requires digital exploration phases to ensure knowledge transfer and needs assessments. This can be achieved through the use of a product manager who does a full gap analysis and assessment, removing the burden from day-to-day resources and developing virtual demos for multiple stakeholders.

3. Building a Stronger Talent Pipeline

Retention is a big problem throughout the industry, and it affects small companies just as much as they big companies. We are all rotating the same people around. If you have an employee with a certain skill set working for your company, chances are every one else in your industry has that same employee. A win for one company is a loss for another.

The pipeline of talent is not keeping up with the demand. Security is especially impacted by this, with negative unemployment paired with an evolving threat landscape. We need to develop more opportunities for highly-skilled professionals who can help address security challenges and protect businesses.

4. Retaining Top Talent

It's no secret that tech teams everywhere are facing a software engineering shortage. The best solution to address this problem is to attract and retain top talent. In other words, focusing on your recruitment strategy is key.

As the technology world continues to grow, we must be able to attract and retain top talent in order to maintain a competitive edge. And while there are many ways for companies to attract talent, one of the most important is by communicating what makes your company special.

By clearly articulating your company's purpose and values, you'll be able to attract employees who align with those values. This will allow you to build a team of people who are committed to working together toward one goal: success.

5. Maintaining a Technological Edge

As the pace of technology increases, there is a gap between learning and using new methodologies, practices, and tools. This gap requires organizations to create time for learning — and it is important for senior leaders to realize achieving business goals will require a patient approach. Otherwise, we may find ourselves requiring more and more time from our team members in order to complete work, ask for their help on projects, or introduce new team members.

The reality of the pandemic, both professionally and personally, might be a tough pill to swallow. But if the tech industry wants to flourish in the months and years ahead, they will need to address these issues head-on while also celebrating their own diversity. And if they succeed, they’ll emerge that much stronger.